25Familiarisation
Eco-driving
Eco-driving is a range of everyday practices that allow the motorist to optimise their fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Optimise the use of your gearbox
With a manual gearbox, move off gently and change up without waiting.
During acceleration change up early.
With an automatic or electronic gearbox, give preference to automatic
mode and avoid pressing the accelerator pedal heavily or suddenly.
The gear shift indicator invites you engage the most suitable gear: as
soon as the indication is displayed in the instrument panel, follow it
straight away.
With an electronic or automatic gearbox, this indicator appears only in
manual mode.
Drive smoothly
Maintain a safe distance between vehicles, use engine braking rather
than the brake pedal, and press the accelerator progressively. These
practices contribute towards a reduction in fuel consumption and CO
2
emissions and also helps reduce the background traffic noise.
If your vehicle has cruise control, make use of the system at speeds
above 25 mph (40 km/h) when the traffic is flowing well.
Control the use of your electrical
equipment
Before moving off, if the passenger compartment is too warm, ventilate it
by opening the windows and air vents before using the air conditioning.
Above 30 mph (50 km/h), close the windows and leave the air vents
open.
Remember to make use of equipment that can help keep the
temperature in the passenger compartment down (sunroof and window
blinds...).
Switch off the air conditioning, unless it has automatic regulation, as
soon as the desired temperature is attained.
Switch off the demisting and defrosting controls, if not automatic.
Switch off the heated seat as soon as possible.
Switch off the headlamps and front foglamps when the level of light
does not require their use.
Avoid running the engine before moving off, particularly in winter; your
vehicle will warm up much faster while driving.
As a passenger, if you avoid connecting your multimedia devices
(film, music, video game...), you will contribute towards limiting the
consumption of electrical energy, and so of fuel.
Disconnect your portable devices before leaving the vehicle.
